Glutamine is an amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. It is considered by most scientists to be a “conditionally essential” amino acid to humans since the body can usually synthesize sufficient amounts of it.
The usually is a big caveat because scientists now know the times glutamine must be obtained from the diet—during stress and disease—can be frequent. This happens even though glutamine is the most abundant amino acid found in the body
Glutamine supports the growth and repair of intestinal cells and serves as an energy source for rapidly dividing cells. This makes it an essential nutrient when a body is injured or is experiencing an infection.
Glutamine is also critical during times of metabolic stress. Metabolic stress is a condition of imbalance between energy supply and demand that affects cell and body functions.
The unique and varied benefits glutamine provides helps explain why it has become a popular supplementing nutrient during the past two decades. While glutamine was previously a mainstay for bodybuilders and athletes using it to build muscle and improve recovery time, it is now utilized for everything from energy and metabolism to tissue repair, gut health and brain function.
Industrial production of glutamine for supplements is carried-out through a fermenting process. These processes were first developed in the 1960s, but it has only been in recent decades that demand has exploded.
New study
A new study, published in Amino Acids in October 2024, highlights how glutamine’s gut health benefit ultimately provides for a stronger immune system.
According to the study conclusions, glutamine supplementation in doses of more than 30 milligrams per day for less than two weeks improves gut health by reducing gut permeability.
Gut permeability—also called intestinal permeability—is a term describing the action of unwanted material passing from inside the gastrointestinal tract through the gut wall and into the body.
In a healthy digestive system, the intestinal lining acts as a barrier, selectively allowing nutrients to pass into the bloodstream while preventing the entry of potentially harmful substances such as bacteria, toxins, and undigested food particles.
The study, a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, was conducted at University of Tehran in Tehran, Iran.
Researchers involved in the study stated the goal was to evaluate the impact of glutamine supplementation on intestinal permeability—a process the researchers noted was critical not only for nutrient absorption, but also for proper immune function.
While details can be read in the published study, the primary finding was that only the large-dose group accomplished the gut health improvement the researchers anticipated.
“We found that short time (less than two weeks) glutamine supplementation in higher dosages had significant reductive effect on gut permeability,” the researchers wrote in their published findings.
The route to a stronger immune system
The aforementioned “gut lining” in the gastrointestinal tract refers to a single layer of epithelial cells, which act as a protective barrier against microbial invasion.
When there is leakage between the epithelial cells—a condition sometimes called leaky gut—harmful toxins enter the bloodstream, triggering immune responses, inflammation and impaired nutrient absorption.
Since glutamine supports the growth and repair of intestinal cells it helps prevent the growth of the offending permeability—and creates a stronger immune system.
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Find glutamine in the following Optimal Health Systems products:
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Sources: Amino Acids (via Springer.com), Just-A-Pedia (gut permeability).
